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Teppanyaki is a Japanese cooking method where food is grilled on an iron griddle. It is popular in Japanese-style restaurants worldwide, and the performance of the chef is often a highlight. The dishes prepared can vary, but typically include grilled meats and vegetables. Okonomiyaki, a fried cake with various ingredients, is also a popular dish. Teppanyaki is not a significant part of the Japanese diet and is mostly catered towards Westerners.
Teppan means iron plate and yaki translates as grilled or fried. Together they create the term teppanyaki, which typically means food grilled on an iron griddle or griddle. In restaurants, iron plates are large, flat surfaces on which multiple teppanyaki foods can be prepared, and include grilled meats and vegetables of various kinds. Other times people in restaurants may grill their food on smaller plates located on each table.
Many people are familiar with teppanyaki as prepared in Japanese-style restaurants in other countries such as Benihana. The thrill of watching food being prepared and grilled remains enjoyable, and these restaurants have been dubbed Japanese steakhouses because they often use beef. In Japan, restaurants serving teppanyaki usually cater to tourists and not Japanese, and the Misono company owns the most popular chain of these restaurants. Misono introduced the cooking style to restaurants in Japan in 1945, and companies like Benihana followed suit by setting up restaurants across the United States in the 1960s.
Though popular restaurants, most teppanyaki foods are not a part of the Japanese diet, and therefore cater mostly to Westerners or those who don’t live in Japan. An exception is when such restaurants prepare okonomiyaki, which is a cake that is fried on a griddle and contains various ingredients such as fish or pork. These can be made in teppanyaki restaurants but are also popular in a variety of Japanese restaurants of other types.
It’s easy to see that teppanyaki refers more to a cooking method than any specific food. The dishes prepared with this method can be variable. Another important element of dining in a teppanyaki or hibachi restaurant is the performance of the chef, which is particularly appreciated in restaurants such as Benihana. Many chefs are trained to not only prepare delicious food, but also juggle, make quick and light cuts to entertain guests. This, more than anything served in such a restaurant, may be its greatest attraction, although numerous guests also praise the foods prepared with this method.
Many of the dishes prepared use simple ingredients. Meats or fish, vegetables, some spices and some soybean oil can be the main ones. Some restaurants serve foods with soy sauce or other sauces and may offer diners the option of eating with chopsticks or forks. Much of the food is prepared in bite-sized pieces to make it easier to eat with chopsticks, especially for those who haven’t practiced this method.
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